Heat stops work on buildings

Extreme weather across the country has stopped building work, but major construction companies say recent disruptions have been no worse than in the past.

Australian Constructors Association head Lindsay Le Compte, who represents construction firms with turnover of more than $50 billion, said there was no single temperature that would shut down a building site, but many sites would have stopped work at times this year.

“When the temperature for those walking in the street in Sydney hits 41 degrees, it will be significantly higher for someone working in a confined space on a building site, such as a roof," Mr Le Compte said. “Health and safety is always at the top of the tree when it comes to how our members manage their worksites."

A Lend Lease spokesman confirmed that work had stopped on some its projects and temperatures at which work stopped were different on different worksites.

“Contingencies are factored into every project to manage adverse weather conditions and there has been no greater impact this year."

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Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union construction division head Dave Noonan said some companies continued to put pressure on workers in the heat.

“In Melbourne, work stops when it hits 35 degrees, in Perth it is higher. There are a range of provisions in different states reflecting local practices and different climatic conditions," Mr Noonan said. “But we do find some companies will continue to pressure workers in extreme heat."

Australian Workers Union national secretary Paul Howes said work would continue for some AWU members regardless of the temperature.

“Our members in national parks across NSW will work regardless in their important role helping defend the bushfire threat. And members such as Queensland health workers will keep working as they are an essential service," he said.

“All the unions ask is that employers ensure workers are protecting themselves against the dangers of the extreme heat, and the fact is most do."

The modern building award requires that workers be paid if work stops due to bad weather, up to 32 hours’ pay each month.

The award doesn’t stipulate a temperature, but an employee can request a meeting be held within an hour to determine if work should stop.

A national code of practice devised by national regulator Safe Work Australia does not stipulate temperatures at which work must stop.

The NSW deputy coroner criticised a lack of safety regulations in the construction industry in October 2012 in his findings over the death of 19-year-old Marcus Wilson. Mr Wilson died in Sydney in November 2009 from heat exhaustion after installing insulation in a roof cavity as part of the federal government’s home insulation scheme.